Experiment 202: Conservation of Momentum: The Ballistic

Pendulum
JAVEN, PAUL ADRIAN B.
Department of Physics
School of Civil Engineering and Geological Engineering
Mapua Institute of Technology
PHY11L A1 Group 4
pjaven@gmail.com

Abstract
Conservation of momentum is important in civil engineering because it offers explanation to the
behavior of collisions. In civil engineering, we have a subject that deals with testing of materials
such as steel, timber, and concrete. They are subject to several types of tests, but more
importantly, their strengths through impact/collision tests. Such theories are used to produce
better materials for construction and improving the reliability of materials.
Other subjects in civil engineering also include building systems engineering, CE151P, which
discusses types of footing, foundations, walls, and roofing plans that makes use of ideas material
strength. The layman may not understand the connections of conservation of momentum to our
field but in reality, it does.

Introduction
A ballistic pendulum is a device for measuring a bullet's momentum, from which it is possible to
calculate the velocity and kinetic energy. Ballistic pendulums have been largely rendered obsolete
by modern chronographs, which allow direct measurement of the projectile velocity.
Although the ballistic pendulum is considered obsolete, it remained in use for a significant length of
time and led to great advances in the science of ballistics. The ballistic pendulum is still found
in physics classrooms today, because of its simplicity and usefulness in demonstrating properties of
momentum and energy. Unlike other methods of measuring the speed of a bullet, the basic
calculations for a ballistic pendulum do not require any measurement of time, but rely only on
measures of mass and distance.
The ballistic pendulum was invented in 1742 by English mathematician Benjamin Robins (1707–
1751), and published in his book New Principles of Gunnery, which revolutionized the science of
ballistics, as it provided the first way to accurately measure the velocity of a bullet.
Robins used the ballistic pendulum to measure projectile velocity in two ways. The first was to
attach the gun to the pendulum, and measure the recoil. Since the momentum of the gun is equal to
the momentum of the ejecta, and since the projectile was (in those experiments) the large majority
of the mass of the ejecta, the velocity of the bullet could be approximated.
Methodology
A. Ballistic Pendulum, Initial velocity
1. Determine the mass of the steel ball and the mass of the ballistic pendulum.
2. Set up the apparatus in such a way that the pendulum bob is in the 0˚ level.
3. Measure the initial height y1 of the pendulum bob from the base to the reference point
O.
4. Fire the steel ball to the pendulum holder and take note of the displaced angle. Do it
five times and get the mean angle.
5. Set manually the pendulum bob to the mean angle computed then determine carefully
the vertical distance y2 from the base of the ballistic pendulum to the reference point
O.
6. Get the difference between y2 and y1 to get the increase in height y of the steel ball and
the pendulum bob which is used to determine the change in potential energy.
7. Compute the velocity of the steel ball and the pendulum bob after the inelastic
collision using the value of increase in height y.
8. By using the conservation of momentum, the ball’s velocity can be readily determined,
which is actually the firing velocity.

B. Trajectory, Initial velocity

1. Fix the pendulum upward so that the ball can be fired horizontally to the floor without
any obstruction.
2. Set the spring gun at the end of the table. (Note: Never aim the spring gun to anybody
or any breakable object.) Allot longer distance than the expected horizontal distance
the steel ball will travel.
3. Measure the vertical distance (y) of the firing position.
4. Using the velocity of the ball calculated in part 1, the horizontal distance which the
ball is suppose to land can be predicted. Within that area, put a sheet of bond paper,
face-down carbon paper and another bond paper. When the steel balls land on this
pack of papers it will leave a black mark on the bottom sheet of bond paper.
5. Fire the steel ball and measure the horizontal distance (x). Do it five times and then
compute the average horizontal distance (x).
6. Determine the initial velocity.
Results and Discussion
Ballistic method is a more accurate approach in determining the ball’s initial speed. This method
does not need the measurement of the hor. displacement of the steel ball. The initial velocity of the
ball depends on the formula

(m1 +m2)
v1 = √2 gy
m1

where m1 is the steel ball’s mass traveling at a velocity v1. The pendulum’s mass is m2 and y is the
difference of y2 and y1, which is the increase in height of the steel ball and pendulum bob. The
initial height (y1) is the distance of the pendulum bob from the base of ref point O. The final height
(y2) is determined using the mean angle and the vertical distance from the base of the pendulum to
the ref point. The accuracy of this method is ascertained by how keen we are in measuring lengths
and having a consistent mean angle. The trajectory method is a slightly less accurate method of
determining the ball’s initial velocity because we can expect that our projectile will land on
different points even though air resistance is negligible.

We can say that conservation of momentum is observed due to the property of inelastic collisions.
After the collision, the mech energy of the pendulum’s receiver and bullet is conserved, so if the
receiver rises up to some max height the acceleration g, then the pendulum bob records the angle of
opening. We say that the total energy of the system is conserved during elastic collisions. Ballistic
pendulums are examples of apparatus that exhibits inelastic collisions. This type of collisions
considers loss of kinetic energy. Since this is a controlled system, we can say that the momentum is
observed. Furthermore, total energy is conserved it is just converted to another type.

Answers to Guide Questions

1. If we used a ball with half mass, m 1 divided by two, with the same initial velocity, the
resulting increase in height will be smaller than the original mass. The height when half of
the mass m1 is used will be less than the increase in height when the original ball was
used.

m1 = 65.875g/2 = 32.9375g
m2 = 242.70g
y = y2 – y1 = 5.8cm
M+M
V1 = √ 2 gy = 89.2256cm/s
M
 

2. Suppose the launcher is position higher above the table top. How does this change affect
the computed initial speed of the ball? Defend your answer.

When the ballistic gun is positioned higher above the table top, its initial velocity does
because as we can recall the lessons in kinematics. The horizontal velocity of the
projectile is always constant. Hence, acceleration is zero. Therefore, if we increase the
height, the range also increases because the parabolic trajectory of the projectile gets
longer, therefore farther.
 3. A 50 gram bullet is fired horizontally into a 5 kg block of wood suspended by a long cord.
The bullet sticks in the block. Determine the velocity of the bullet if the inelastic collision
causes the block to swing 0.10m above its initial level

M 1+ M 2
V1 = √2 gy
M1

0.05 kg+5.0 kg 9.8 m

=
0.05 kg √ 2( 2 )(0.10 m)
s

= 141.4 m/s

Graphs

Velocity per steel ball mass variation: m1 / 2, m1, and 2m1, respectively.
(m1 = 65.875g)
600
570.82

500

400

338.72
300

222.7
200

100

0
20 40 60 80 100 120 140

Velocity drops as the projectile’s mass increases.

 Range per velocity variation: V1/2, V1, and 2V1, respectively.
(V1 = 355.23cm)
350

300 294.1

250

200

150 147.8

100
73.5
50

0
100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800

Range increases as the velocity increases.

Conclusion
Total momentum is changed when there are other external forces acting on the system. Hence, the
system is not controlled or isolated. When a system is a controlled system, the total momentum is
constant. Factors such as air resistance, friction, or other opposing forces that restricts the system’s
“natural” way of function alters the total momentum. If the total momentum is conserved, the total
energy of a body/system is conserved, as well. Inelastic collisions show losses in kinetic energy.
Either the collision may be elastic or inelastic, total momentum is conserved. All kinds of collisions
observe the conservation of momentum because momentum is observed after and before the
collision.

Table 1 observes Newton’s 3rd law of motion. When there is an action, there is also an equal
opposing reaction. When we fired the launcher to the pendulum’s block receiver, it absorbs the
impact that it pushes it to travel about a quarter-radial path and gets back to the reference point by
the pull of gravity as soon as it reaches the maximum distance (Vf = 0), leaving an opening angle.

Table 2 observes theories in kinematics and Newton’s 2nd law of motion because we are dealing
with projectile motion to determine the initial velocity.
F = ma and y = yo + vot + (½)gt^2,
forming the equation,
g
v1 = x
√ 2y
upon taking the horizontal and vertical motion in account.
Recommendations
Source of error in table 1, the ballistic method, are inaccurate measurements of dimensions such
as y. Y is the difference between the initial and final height as the ballistic is fired upon the
pendulum and the angle it leaves. Another source of error can be the movement of the angle
marker just before we can record it. Make sure to keep everything steady because it might alter
the results. Also, see to it that the before performing the experiment, the apparatus is placed on a
fairly level surface. Gradient can be a source of error if the apparatus is used on a slanted manner.
Take note that some angle markers cannot be set fully to zero. When this happens, we add or
subtract the excess angle when the steel ball is fired upon the pendulum.
On table 2, the trajectory method, includes sources such as incorrect levelling, moving the carbon
paper (also includes not taping it fixed to the ground with a bond paper), and incorrect
measurements. The experiment is sure to fail and miss target if we are not careful on our
calculations. We can also check to see if our attempt of trajectory method is a failure when the
percentage difference with ballistic method falls on a large amount.

References
Reference from a book:
[1] Halliday, D., Resnick, R., & Walker, J. (2014). Principles of Physics 10 th ed. Hoboken, NJ:
Wiley.
Reference from a website:
[2] Information from http://scienceworld.wolfram.com/physics/ConservationofMomentum.html
[3] Information from http://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/momentum/U4L2b.cfm
Appendix
Table 1: Ballistic Method
Mass of steel ball, m1 = 65.875g
Mass of pendulum, m2 = 143.40g
Trial 1: 34.5˚ y1 = 7.80cm
Trial 2: 34.5˚ y2 = 13.60cm
Trial 3: 34.0˚ Average θ = 34.5˚
Trial 4: 35.0˚ y = y2 – y1 = 7.8cm
Trial 5: 34.5˚
Velocity after collision
M 1+ M 2
U = √ 2 gy V1 = √2 gy = 338.71cm/s
M1
= √ 2(980)(5.8)
= 106.62cm/s

Table 2: Trajectory Method

Height from Ref point to ground, y = 84.0cm
g
Trial 1: 148.50cm V1 = x
√ 2y
= 355.23cm/s

|EV −EV |
x 100 %
Trial 2: 145.75cm % difference = EV + EV = 4.76%
2
Trial 3: 146.35cm
Trial 4: 148.60cm
Trial 5: 146.20cm
Average: x = 147.08cm